Burlington residents protest ward councillor
Although it may be too late for the residents to challenge the candidacy, the councillor said they still stood a chance.
RESIDENTS in Burlington took to the streets in protest to express their disapproval of the ward councillor allocated. According to the Malvern SAPS, the protest action started at 7pm on Sunday, 19 June, at the informal settlement. “The station commander, Lt-Col Valarine Reddy, and members responded and arrived at the settlement. There was burning of tyres, blocking of roads and toy-toying by the residents who expressed their disapproval of the ward councillor that was allocated to them,” said Corporate Communications Officer W/O Radhika Marimuthu.
The protest gained momentum again in the early hours of Tuesday, 21 June, when residents burnt tyres at focal points, blocked off roads and continued toy-toying. This time, demanding to be addressed by the ANC ward secretary about their unhappiness. Sipho Mthethwa of eThekwini Municipality then responded to restore calm in the community. Mthethwa explained to them about how elective processes worked and that it was too late for them to challenge the chosen candidate.
Resident, Doleza Nzama, said they were upset because none of their chosen representatives were in the running for candidacy. “The problem is that we are being chosen for and we want someone we elected ourselves. We cannot have someone from Seaview be a councillor in Burlington, we don’t know them and they will not meet our needs,” he said. Nzama said that they had confidence in the people they had elected because they would ensure that they got service delivery. “We still need houses, schools and a clinic in the area as well as refuse collection which severely affects our children. The place is so filthy, our children get bitten by rats,” he said.
However, ward 65 councillor, Chris van den Berg, slammed these claims and said protest had nothing to do with service delivery. “They are protesting about the fact that they are unhappy about the ANC ward 65 candidate. The ANC candidate is a lady from Seaview and they wanted a male, Bheki Lucky Shange, who is from Burlington and was also leading the protest,” said Van den Berg.
Although it may be too late for the residents to challenge the candidacy, the councillor said they still stood a chance. “If they are unhappy with or about the ANC they then must take it to the polls on 3 August and tell the ANC there. That is their right,” he advised.
